'Translators' Tells the Story of Young Interpreters Helping Their Families Navigate and Survive Life in The US

U.S. Bank announced today that they will launch 'Translators', a documentary focused on the lives of three immigrant, bilingual children who are the only ones in their otherwise non-English speaking families who can translate everything from grocery shopping to financial, health and government documents. Conceived and produced by McCann Worldgroup, the film highlights a key cultural and generational issue among the Hispanic community and serves as an organic extension of the bank’s mission of powering human potential and making banking accessible to all.

'Translators', will screen during the Tribeca Festival on June 13, on the heels of its worldwide debut at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival.

When U.S. Bank launched Asistente Inteligente, the first Spanish language virtual assistant to be offered by a U.S. financial institution, it highlighted how much of a language barrier existed for Hispanic Americans. It also revealed an interesting way many families navigated around this obstacle – by relying on their youngest who are bilingual to translate important, everyday communications, including banking documents. In fact, while just 23% of first-generation immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries speak English proficiently, 94% of their grandchildren do, a unique fact of life for Hispanic Americans that was little known beyond the community.

This insight revealed an opportunity to tell this untold story through – 'Translators' – which follows three immigrant children (Densel – 11, Harye- 13 and Virginia - 16) as they serve as translators for their older relatives. The documentary short film delivers an emotional, first-person look at their experiences, encapsulating the reality shared by the broader population of Hispanic American families who rely on their children to assume this responsibility in their respective households.

“Connecting with our diverse customers mean understanding the challenges that are unique to people’s lived experiences,” said Kai Sakstrup, executive vice president, chief marketing and strategy officer at U.S. Bank. “What we uncovered within the Hispanic community is how a language barrier was overcome through resilience, adaptability, the power of family and the drive to succeed. An obvious connection emerged between the brand’s ethos of powering human potential and the inspiring real-life journeys of Virginia, Haryeand Densel. It’s been a privilege to tell their stories.”

“We set out to land the brand in culture, and culture in the brand,” said Erin Wendel, executive creative director, McCann Worldgroup. “Translators’ is not only an organic story for U.S. Bank given its longstanding commitment to and focus on the needs of the Latino community, but it’s also a call to the broader business community to understand, embrace and speak directly to the many diverse segments that make up their audience.”

“Translators” is produced by Park Pictures in partnership with U.S. Bank, as part of U.S. Bank Access Commitment, the bank’s long-term approach for helping to close the racial wealth gap which includes making banking more accessible to everyone through new digital tools, resources and community engagement.

Kelly Colbert, senior vice president of creative strategy and brand advertising, U.S. Bank, remarked: “Language means access– so wherever there’s a language barrier, there’s an obstacle to opportunity and success. Bridging that divide means bringing aspirations and life goals within everyone’s grasp, which is what we strive to do every day at U.S. Bank. ‘Translators’ tells a moving and inspiring story that is simultaneously specific to the Hispanic-American community and relatable to us all.”

A conversation between the director Rudy Valdez, the Vasquez Family who is part of the film and Greg Cunningham, chief diversity officer for U.S. Bank, moderated by journalist, Faith Salie, will follow the screening at the Tribeca Festival on June 13th at the Roxy Hotel.